Home

Maybe I’m just a sucker for getting gifts, but one of my favorite parts of the holidays as a kid was the handmade felt advent calendar my grandma made me when I was just a year old. I still hang it every year, just for the nostalgia (and OK, maybe secretly hoping my husband might slip something in it) and can’t wait to pass on the tradition with my son! While I adore mine, I doubt my son will be that interested in one with my name on it (my sister was always jealous even though she got gifts in the same calendar along with me) – so I’m on the hunt for something for him to keep through the years. While there are plenty of mega cheesy, santa and snowman filled versions out there, I’ve rounded up my favorite picks for something a little simpler. Decisions, decisions…

Besides the cooler temps, scarves, sweaters and leaves turning their fiery colors, I am excited that Fall is here because it is now socially acceptable to eat copious amounts of a fall favorite snack – candy corn! Some may argue whether this sweet treat is appetizing or not, but to me it’s an autumn staple! Especially when paired with peanuts. Yum!(PS: Don’t look up the ingredients of candy corn. Just enjoy in ignorance. Trust me.)

In looking for alternative ways to decorate for the new season, I was wondering what else could be done with this colorful candy. There are so many options out there! Here are a few of my favorites that inspired me to step outside the (candy) box:

Fill a hurricane vase with a candle surrounded by candy corn, and you have an adorably festive tablescape centerpiece!

Every once in a while we have a space in our featured home that doesn’t quite flow in the magazine, but we are drooling over, and can’t wait to share on the blog …such was the case with our Fall Issue! Joli did so many fun things in her youngest son’s room – from the “truck bed” bed, to the bright but not childish quilt – not to mention the great highway mural to complete the “road trip” theme (I found a similar one here).

We also thought that the shared bathroom was kid friendly, but sophisticated. The bright countertops are the 3form material that Joli represents, along with a mosaic backsplash and simple millwork and lighting that will grow with her boys. Add a small gallery of their artwork and the kids have a fun but sleek space to primp for years to come.

We’re excited to kick off our Shop/Studio Q&A blog series this week. This is a great way for us to show the world where we love to shop, or find inspiration from a local designer in their studio.

For the first in the series, we picked one of our favorite new shops in town — Retro Den Tulsa, 2735 E.15th St. The store specializes in Mid-Century Modern furniture, decor and accessories. And you know how we love that style!

The owners, Ashley Palmer and Ashley Daly — known collectively as “The Ashleys” — are so friendly and fun. They were generous enough to host our first Tulsa blogger meetup recently, and we really love what they’ve done with the place so we couldn’t wait to interview them.

The Ashleys: Ashley Daly (left) and Ashley Palmer

What inspired you to open your business?

Simply put, we wanted to do what we love. Nothing is better than feeling truly passionate about your work to the point where is doesn’t feel like work. We both are constantly working to make our homes special, comfortable, and beautiful and now we get to share this with others.

Where do you find merchandise?

We find our pieces everywhere and get new things in daily. We go out to sales and attend auctions, but we also have regular pickers and random people who pull into our parking lot wanting to sell us things.

What is your design philosophy?

Ashley Palmer: Don’t get tied down to one style – just do what you like. Also, it’s okay to change your design/style over time.

Ashley Daly: We like to encourage customers to only get what they love for their homes, and we do the same. I always say my personal style is New Mexico writer’s commune – clean, natural pieces but with an excess of color and playfulness. I try to be simple, but I can’t help but hang things on my walls that make me laugh.

What’s your favorite item in the shop right now?

AP: My favorite piece is this steel gray cabinet that says “Notary Public” on the front double doors. It’s very sleek and handsome, and I feel like it could be used for many different purposes – entertainment center, liquor cabinet.

AD: Definitely this ceramic hippo planter made in Oologah, Oklahoma…he’d be so charming with a happy flower popping out of him!

What’s your favorite spot in Tulsa?

AP: I like going for walks in my neighborhood (near the University of Tulsa), the duck pond in White City, and Riverside.

AD: Owl and Drum (Our neighbor across the street!) for gorgeous fabric and sewing lessons, Antoinette Baking Co. for incredible donuts and quiche, and the Tulsa Flea Market.

Where do you go for inspiration?

AP: My sunroom or to other vintage/antique shops around town.

AD: I look at old Domino magazines, online magazines…I love going to estate sales just so I can see the inside of houses. I also like Googling artists’ studios – Picasso’s is really inspiring to look through.

What are your “must read” websites/blogs?

AD: For design and lifestyle: Anthology, Sweet Paul, Prairie Hive, Apartment Therapy, The Brick House, The Clever Bunny and Lonny. And I obsessively check Oh Happy Day (Parties!), Cup of Jo (Fashion and this and that.) and Sweetapolita (Insanely tasty and beautiful cakes!).

Start by tracing the outline of the glass on scrap paper and fold into quarters to easily locate center and start sketching. I just completed one quadrant and then folded and traced to the other three.

Placing my glass on the paper so I could see the design, I then just traced my design with a gold Sharpie marker. Waited a day or two and then put a second coat of the gold on.

Waited another day (got too busy) and then painted over the whole thing in white.

I plan on using mine on the dining room table to corral hot dishes. A nice departure from the standard table runner, it leaves more space for dining and I enjoy the shine of the glass on the wood table.

This was one of the more fun projects I’ve recently completed and I plan on doing more. I always find there are plenty of things I would do differently when I reach the end of a project so be sure to look forward to some more back painted glass pieces.

Welcome!

Meet the Hive

Prairie Hive takes a peek into real, un-"designed" homes in Oklahoma, along with the people who inhabit them. This team of local designers, photographers, crafters, stylists and writers takes inspiration from everyday families, striving to create entertaining and DIY ideas that are attainable and affordable, and to show you how to get the look for yourself.